ARSENAL are staring down the barrel of their seventh straight season without a trophy after falling victim to the Martin O’Neill revival show last night.

Only three days after the Gunners’ crushing 4-0 Champions League defeat by AC Milan the Black Cats rubbed salt in the wounds by muscling the Londoners out and grabbing a lucrative quarter-final slot.

The result was sweet revenge for last week’s league loss at the Stadium of Light.

Again it was Sunderland who took the lead through Kieran Richardson’s volley five minutes before half-time but this time there was no way back for Arsene Wenger’s side and the result was sealed by an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal in 78 minutes.

Arsene Wenger vowed to fight on and insisted Arsenal should have had a penalty when Robin van Persie tangled with John O’Shea.

He said: “It was 100 per cent a penalty. Now we must be united, fight and focus on the next game.”

Sunderland hassled and harried Arsenal all over the pitch and O’Neill said: “There’s plenty of self-belief about the team that’s getting stronger – they feel as if they can win matches.”

The opener came after Johan Djourou hauled down Craig Gardner. Sebastian Larsson’sfree-kick was headed away by Thomas Vermaelen but only as far as Richardson, whose volley arrowed into the corner of the net with the aid of a slight deflection off Sebastien Squillaci.

With 12 minutes left Stephane Sessegnon played in Larsson on the right and his shot rebounded off the inside of the near post on to Oxlade-Chamberlain who got his feet in a muddle and could only help the ball over the line.